In a wireless network, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer wireless network, it can be beneficial for a wireless communications device, e.g., a mobile node, to support the ability to transmit, e.g., broadcast, various types of discovery information, e.g., peer discovery information, network discovery information and/or service discovery information. The broadcasting of such information can be used by other peer devices currently in its local vicinity to form a situational awareness. This exchange of wireless device broadcast discovery information among peers can be particularly useful in a network lacking centralized coordination and/or control. Different wireless communications devices may have different capabilities and/or needs with regard to the transmission and/or reception of discovery information. In addition, an individual wireless communications device may, at different times, have different capabilities and/or needs with regard to the transmission and/or reception of discovery information. Broadcasting discovery information may be considered overhead signaling, and resources such as power expended for discovery information signaling transmissions may be unavailable for traffic signaling. The power expended by a mobile wireless communications device for transmitting discovery information and the reserve battery power remaining are important considerations in implementing a structure supporting the communication of discovery information. The transmitting of discovery information at a high rate has the benefit of reducing discovery latency, yet comes at a cost of expending more power, e.g., reducing battery lifetime.
Based on the above discussion it should be appreciated there is a need for novel methods and apparatus that support rapid communication of discovery information, yet do not overly tax the limited power resources of battery operated mobile devices.